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The 2017 AFL season shapes as a beauty and gets underway on Thursday March 23 with the traditional season opener between Carlton and Richmond at the MCG.

The draw for the season was announced earlier this month by the AFL and the Grand Finalist’s from 2016, the Western Bulldogs and the Sydney Swans, were the big winners, as they will dominate the prime-time Thursday and Friday night slots in 2017.

After missing out on Friday night's in 2015, the Doggies will feature in seven Friday night encounters, while the Sydney Swans appear eight times on a Friday next season.

The two sides meet at Etihad Stadium in round two, when the Bulldogs will unfurl their 2016 premiership flag, while the return match has been scheduled for round 12 at the SCG.

After implementing the post Round 23 'Bye' in 2017, the AFL have decided to stick with the controversial formula, allowing sides to rest up before the first week of the finals.

The finals series gets underway on Friday September 8, while the Grand Final is back in September and will be held on the 30th.

Outside of the finals series, marquee games come on ANZAC Day with the blockbuster clash between Collingwood and Essendon. ANZAC Day falls on a Tuesday in 2017, meaning the two clubs will have to back up and play the following Sunday off a five day break.

Good Friday football will be played for the first time in 2017 when North Melbourne play host to the Western Bulldogs in a twilight clash at Etihad Stadium, while Collingwood celebrate its 125th birthday with a Saturday afternoon clash in round seven against arch-rival Carlton at the MCG.

Hawthorn and Geelong renew hostilities once again on Easter Monday, while the competition's eight non-Victorian clubs will all enjoy two local derbies. The South Australian 'Showdown's' occur in rounds three and 20, while the West Australian derbies are in rounds six and 17.

The two Sydney teams square off in rounds five and 17, while the Q clashes are in rounds one and 21.

With a number of player movements in the off-season, there will be a few 'grudge' matches in store. The 2012 Brownlow Medalist, and new Eagle, Sam Mitchell, faces his former side, Hawthorn, in round five, while Jordan Lewis lines up for Melbourne against the Hawks a couple of weeks later in round seven.

Meanwhile, China will host is first ever game for premiership points when Port Adelaide and the Gold Coast do battle in Shanghai in round eight, while in Round 22, the Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide face each other at Ballarat's Eureka Stadium.

The full AFL Fixture is listed below. All times and dates are AEDT prior to Sunday April 2 then AEST from Sunday April 2 onwards.